Rail-joint.



UNITED STATES4 Patented November 10, 1903.

PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES BOOTH, OFIEASTLIVERPOOL, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. F. H.- WARK, OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPEGIFIGATIONfOrming part of Letters Patent N. 743,437,1:1atd Nevembef 1o, '1903. 'Appnason ieaApril 2. 190s. serial No. 150,798. [No modela To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES BOOTH, a citizen `of the United States, residing at East Livery United States Patent No. 672,870, dated April 23, 1901, granted to me for rail-joint, and

aims to remedy certain defects in the structure of said joint, and the form of which will be more clearly set forth hereinafter.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the -details of construction lof the means for eifecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modifcation, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of thejoint in operative position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bearing-plate. Fig. 4; is a combination view of the end portions of the rail-chair and one fish-plate, parts bei ing broken away, showing more particularly the form of the notched parts.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. i

The main structural parts of the invention are of the same form as has been shown and described in my former patent. These essential elements consist of a rail-chair 1, fishplates 2, and locking-Wedges 3 and 4. The chair 1 is formed with longitudinal flanges 5, and the ish-plates 2 are provided with correspondinglongitudinal extensions 6, which are adapted to overlap the anges 5 of the railvchair, the said iianges 5 being disposed between the extensions 6 and the bodies of the fish-plates. The extensions 6 and flanges 5 are provided with notches 7 and 8, respectively, the said notches being used to receive locking-wedges 3 and 4 upon one side of the rail `and those disposed upon the other side of the rail to receive pins 9. In order to hold the locking-wedges 4 and the pins 9 in their .proper positions, openings 10 are provided at the lower ends of the said pins and wedges, through which are disposed transverse locking-pins 11. These pins prevent displace; ment of the aforesaid members, and it is not desired to restrict the invention to the use of any special character of locking-pins, but those structurally efficient may be utilized as found convenient. The wedges 3 and the pins 9 are provided with heads 4f and 9, respectively, for obvious reasons.

In the practical use of the joint as shown in my former patent it was found that owing to the fact that no locking means were provided to hold the fish-plates upon one side of the rail in their position in the chair 1, due to vibration and analogous causes, these fishplates will become displaced, and so in this invention the locking means 9 are applied and movement ofthe fish-plates is obviated. Furthermore, it has been found that due to wear and constant vibration of the rails within the chair the space between the fish-plates and the sides of the chair is enlarged as the period of use of the joint continues and that for this reason the parts become loose and the efciency of thejoint to some extent decreased. For the purpose of providing against this defect-in my former joint I have adopted and now use a bearing-plate 12 of peculiar construction and which prevents the rattling and looseness of the parts mentioned, which plate is disposed within the chair and fastened securely to the inner sides thereof. The bearing-plate 12 comprises a body 12a, iange 13, and securing means 14. The flange 13 is projected at about rightangles tothe body of the plate and is disposed when the several parts are assembled beneath the longitudinal `flanges 5 of the chair l. The securing means for the bearing-plate consist of lugs forming extensions of the said plate and projected from the ends thereof and preferably centrally upon the said ends. The lugs 15 are adapted to be rearwardly bent to embrace the ends of the rail-chair and rigidly hold the bearing-plate in position within the chair. The flange 13 is provided with notches IOO 16, which are located with reference to the disposal of the notches 7 and 8 of the respective extensions 6 and ianges 5 of the fishplates and rail-chair. Openings 17 are disposed upon the base of the chair, and the locking-pins 9 and the Wedges 4 pass through these openings, after which the transverse pins ll are placed in the openings 10 to hold the said elements in place.

In placing the several parts of the device in position the bearing-plate is first disposed within the chair and secured in place by the extension-lugs 14. The fish-plates 2 are next slid endwise within the chair, the anges 5 entering the space between the bodies of the fish-plates and the extensions thereof. The rails may be then placed by an e'ndwise movement between the ish-plates. The locking- Wedges 3 and 4 are next introduced into the/ notches upon the islrplates and chair and the locking-pins disposed within the openings l0 of the wedge 3. The pins 9 are placed in position at the same time and are located in the manner described. `The rails being provided with notches in the usual manner are also locked together, since the pins 9 and locking Wedges 3 are adapted to extend through the notches disposed in the ends of the said rails and to constitute the above locking means. It is desirable to have the notches in the rails of somewhat greater width than the width of the respective locking wedges and pins, so that extension of the rails may be permitted.

As shown in the drawings, the openings adjacent the lower ends of the wedges 3 and the pins 9 are circular and receive the semicircular locking-pins ll. The locking-pins engage or are seated in grooves 17 upon the under side of the rail-chair. The openings Il are thus more firmly retained in their positions and are additionally prevented from stock passing over the rails.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a rail-joint, and in combination, a rail-chair having longitudinal flanges thereon, fish-plateslhaving longitudinal extensions projected therefrom to overlap the flanges of the rail-chair, notches provided upon said chair-flan ges and extensions of the fish-plates, locking-wedges adapted to enter the notches of the fish-plates and pass through openings in the bottom thereof, means for locking said Wedges in place, a bearing-plate disposed within the rail-chair, and means whereby the said bearing-plate may be locked in position with the chair, substantially as described.

2. In a rail-joint, and in combination, rails, a rail-chair provided withlongitudinal anges, fish plates having longitudinal extensions projected therefrom to overlap the iianges of the rail-chair, notches provided upon the said extensions and the ianges of the rail-chair, openings in the base of the rail-chair, locking Wedges and pins adapted to pass transversely of the notches and openings in the rail-chair and fish-plates respectively, a bearing-plate disposed within the rail-chair and provided with a longitudinal notched flange, lugs extending from the ends of the bearingplate and adapted to be bent to embrace the ends of the rail-chair to secure the said plate to the rail-chair, the locking pins and Wedges being adapted to prevent longitudinal movement of the said bearing-plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES BOOTH. [L s] Witnesses:

J. T. HERBERT, G. Y. TRAVIS.

soA 

